Airplane propelling means



A.\L. wlpbls 2,145,034 'AIRPLANE PROPELLING MEANS Filed Aug 4, 1937 Jam 24, '1939.

. Im 5A T012; 274553771 Map/5.:

l T TOH/1(5).

Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j mmm; momma MEANS Albert L. Widdis, Harrisville, Mich.

ap lication August 4,1937, Serial No. 157,283

' '12 Claims. (cr rio- 172) This invention relates to an airplane propelling means which includes a centrifugal `device through which air is propelled at high velocities, the incoming air being hamed and struck obliquely prior to entering the centrifuge.

An object of my inventionis to provide a novel centrifugal means,-such as the blades of an air plane propeller, the blades being hollow, and the veloc'ities of these blades will cause a high degree of vacuum to exist along the trailing edge of the blade, and also at its outer end. This vacuum caused by this centrifugal device will draw air rapidly from adjacent the center of revolution add move this air outwardly at high velocity.- The air before entering the centrifugal device being caused to impinge upon one or more baflie plates having intake means, with beveled rear edges, thus causing a forward thrust or force, which will materially aid in propelling an airplane, or the like.

. A further object of my invention is to provide a novel airplane propelling means which will require no additional power on the part of the driving engine, and which will materially add to the forward thrust caused by the centrifuge, i. e., of the propeller.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention, may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the bafile plates showing intake means having beveled oblique, rear edges.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a modified form of centrifugal device.

Figure 4 is a seetional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

'Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section of still another modified form of centrifuge.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral indicates a propeller, the shape of which is usual and well known and conforms to usual airplane practice. The propeller is driven by the motor shaft 2, upon which it is mounted.

A conduit or duet 3 extends outwardly through each of the blades of the propeller from adjacent the center thereof to the outer tips. The inner ends of these conduits extend rearwardly as shown at 4, and open into a ring 5, which revolves with the propeller. A plurality of transverse baffie plates 6 are mounted within the ring 5. These plates are foraminated so as to permit the movement of air through the ring, but this air is baflied and struck obliquely by the beveled rear edges of the air intake means and thereafter impinges upon these plates under high Velocity. to cause a forward thrust.

Air is taken in at approximately atmospheric pressure at the rear end and walls of the ring and to control the amount of air entering, I provide a plate 'I which is longitudinally adjustable on the shaft 2, or about this shaft, this plate being solid and will upon adjustment allow the required amount of air to enter through the walls and end the ring.

When the airplane propeller is revolving at high speeds, a high degree of vacuum is created at the tips, and consequently air will move rapidly through the ring 5,`and thence outwardly through the conduits 3. This rapidly moving air (which enters at atmospheric pressure) is bafiled and struck obliquely by the beveled ,rear edges of the' air intake means, and thereafter impinges upon drawn from the central intake lll. The Conduit 9 is divided into compartments by the ribs ll and transverse baflies l2, providing means against which the air impinges. The housing 8 is driven from a suitable source of power on the shaft i3.

In Figures and 6, particularly applicable to a land vehicle such as an automobile, radial ribs M are arranged between the heads l5-l6. The

'structure is rotated by shaft H' from a suitable source of power. v A ring l8 similar in construction to the ring 5 is provided with a plurality of baflies is, which are similar in construction to the baiiles 6. Air is admitted to the space between the ribs M through openings 20', said open ings extending through the head IS, and within r the area enclosed by the 'ring i8.

A control plate. 2| enables the operator to adjust the amount of air which is admitted to the ring IB. The rapid revolving of the ribs ll cause the air to be moved outwardly under high Velocity, and the operation is the same as described under Figure 1. v

The modifications shown in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive -can be 'arranged either horizontally or vertically as desired, and may also be used'singly,

hame means and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device to impart a forward thrust to'the airplane.

2. An airplane propelling means, comprising a centrifugal device, drive means for said centrifugal device, air intake means for the centrifugal device, through which atmospheric air passes, and baflle means which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device from the rear, plates against which this air presses and adjustable air control'means at the air intake, of such nature that the quantity of air entering the centrifugal device may be adjusted, said bafile means and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device, to impart a forward thrust to the airplane.

3. An airplane propelling means comprising a centrifugal device, drive means for said centrifugal device extending from the motor of the airplane to the centrifugal device, an atmospheric air intake adjacent the center of revolution of the centrifugal device and baflie means which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device from the rear, plates against which this air presses, said baflie means and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device to impart a forward thrust to the airplane.

4. An airplane propelling means, comprising an airplane propeller, said propeller having air ducts extending through the blades thereof and terminating at the tips of the blades, an air intake means adjacent the hub of the propeller through which atmospheric air is drawn, and baffle means which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device from the rear, and plates against which this air impinges, said baflie means and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device to impart a forwardthrust to the airplane.

5. An airplane propelling means comprising an airplane propeller, said propeller having air ducts extending through the blades thereof and terminating at the tips of the blades, atmospheric air intakes adjacent the hub of the propeller through the walls and end of a ring mounted on the propeller at the hub thereof, baffles in the ring which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device through the ring from the rear, and plates within the ring against which this air impinges, said bafiie means and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device to impart aforward thrust to the airplane.

6. An airplane propelling means comprising an airplane propeller, said propeller having air ducts extending through the blades thereof and terminating at the tips of the blades, atmospheric air intakes adjacent the hub of' the propeller through the ,walls and end of a ring mounted on the propeller at the rear hub thereof, bafiles which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device from the rear and plates against which this air impinges, said bafiles and plates being arranged at the rear of the centrifugal device to impart a forward thrust to the airplane.

7. A propelling means comprising a conical centrifugal device, said centrifugal device having a divergent conduit extending therethrough, at-

mospheric air intake means at the center and` in front of the centrifugal device, and baffles in the conduit against which the air is thrown.

8. A propelling means comprising a centrifugal device including a plurality of radial vanes, a

drive shaft on which the vanes are mounted, a

ring surrounding the shaft at the rear of the centrifugal device and rotating with the vanes, baflles in the ring which strike obliquely the air flowing toward the centrifugal device from the rear through the walls and end of said ring, plates in said ring against which the air impinges, said centrifugal device having atmospheric air intake ports extending from the ring to the vanes.

9. A propelling means comprising a propeller adapted to be rotated, having hollow blades open at their outer ends, with fluid intake means through the forward and rear walls of the blades, so that when rotated a partial vacuum is created within the blades, fluid in front of the blades will pass into the partial vacuum within them, creating a partial vacuum in front of the propeller into which the aiplane will pass; and at the same time. columns of fluid will pass into the partial vacuum in the bladesthrough their rear walls, and the rearwardly aligned rear walls of the blades will obliquely hit, strike and baflle the air advancing toward the centrifugal device from the rear, creating a thrust in the direction of the air flowing toward the partial vacuum from the rear.

10. A propelling means comprising a propeller adapted to be rotated with hollow blades, open at their outer ends, their inner ends bent so that their outer ends project rearwardly, with fluid intake means through the forward and rear walls of the blades, so that when rotated a partial vacuum is created within said blades, fluid in and baffle this fluid infiowing from the rear and thereby create a thrust in the direction of the flow of fluid into or toward the partial vacuum,

while the air discharged rearwardly through the open ends of the blades causes a forward thrust.

11. A propelling means comprising a centrifugal device, of spiral form, adapted to be rotated and to create a partial vacuum `therein, fluid intake means in the forward and rear walls of the centrifugal device admitting fluid into the centrifugal device, s0 as to form a partial vacuum in front of the centrifugal device into which the airplane, automobile, or ship will pass and at the same time be thrust forward by the spiral rear wall of the centrifugal device obliquely hitting, st riking and baffling the fiow of fluid advancing` toward the partial vacuum in the centrifugal device through the 'fluid intake means in the rear wall of the centrifugal device.

12. A propelling means comprising a centrifugal device, of spiral form, adapted tobe rotated, radial partitions projecting from the front and rear sides of the centrifugal device, whereby, when rotated, a partial vacuum will be created at the front and rear sides of the centrifugal device in the spaces between the radial partitions, and bafiles extending from the rear edges of the rear radial partitions which will strike obliquely the air advancing toward the partial vacuum at the rear of the centrifugal device, whereby a thrust will be imparted to the airplane in the direction of the flow toward the vacuum at the rear of the centrifugal device.

ALBERT L. WIDDIS. 

